UbiTech Robotics, a Chinese company specializing in humanoid robots, has sparked controversy with the launch of its human-like male and female robots.
On July 1, the South China Morning Post reported that UbiTech unveiled the U1 humanoid robot in Shenzhen on June 30. The robot comes in two versions: a male model standing 183 cm tall and weighing 42 kg, and a female model at 168 cm and 35.2 kg. To mimic human skin and joints, the robots are made with silicone exteriors and feature 88 servo joints. They are powered by an RK3588 processor from Chinese semiconductor company Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics, with user data stored internally rather than in the cloud.
UbiTech claims that the robot can perform over 90% of basic human movements and recognize more than 20 emotional states with over 90% accuracy. Unlike most humanoid robots designed for industrial use, UbiTech states that the U1 is intended for interaction in home environments. A company representative noted, "This robot can hold conversations, make eye contact, and is only sold to adults."
Zhao Jichao, UbiTech's vice president and head of the Embedded Intelligence and Humanoid Robotics Institute, explained, "One of the biggest challenges was making the robot's appearance and behavior natural after fitting complex mechanical systems into a human-sized body, ensuring that facial expressions align with speech and emotions." He added that replicating human facial expressions on a large scale remains one of the company's greatest engineering challenges, requiring thousands of components in the robot's head and AI models to synchronize voice and facial movements.
The U1 is available in three versions: Light, Pro, and Ultra, with prices starting at 119,800 yuan (approximately $17,000) for the Light model, 169,800 yuan (about $24,000) for the Pro, and 990,000 yuan (around $140,000) for the male Ultra model, and 880,000 yuan (about $126,000) for the female Ultra model. While some critics argue that the prices are excessively high, UbiTech reports that pre-orders have already surpassed 13,000 units.
UbiTech CEO Zhou Jian stated that a robot capable of performing household tasks and providing emotional companionship, along with attractive appearance, makes a price range of 100,000 to 200,000 yuan reasonable.
However, the launch of these human-like robots has ignited debate in China. The state-run Global Times pointed out on July 2 that questions arise about whether such robots will alleviate loneliness or pose a threat to real human relationships. One female netizen remarked, "If it’s a companion that will never betray or abandon you, it’s worth it, especially if it can be customized to look like you."
Conversely, another netizen expressed skepticism, saying, "We might be willing to spend hundreds of thousands of yuan for a 'perfect companion' that recognizes over 20 emotions and is endlessly gentle and obedient, but in real human relationships, we tend to want to leave at the first sign of conflict." They questioned whether this represents a technological advancement or a sign that our ability to form and maintain human relationships is declining.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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